Four arrested in Berwick for assaulting residents mistaken as 'squatters'

By Oliver Jenkins

ojenkins@fosters.com

Friday, November 30, 2012

BERWICK, Maine — Four people were arrested Saturday and charged with assault after attempting to remove a group of “squatters” from the home of an incarcerated family member.

According to a press release issued by the Berwick Police Department, at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 24, law enforcement responded to 19 Allen Street for a fight including at least eight people - some of whom were injured.

The fight involved four individuals trying to remove three other people believed to be “squatting” in a family member’s apartment at 19 Allen Street while the actual tenants were incarcerated.

Following the fight the four suspects fled the scene in a truck later located by the Somersworth, N.H. Police Department at the city’s Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) building.

Diane Beaton, 52, of Berwick, Timothy Dyer, 51, of Somersworth, Susan Dyer, 46, of Somersworth, and Joshua Royer, 32, of Somersworth were all arrested and charged with assault following an investigation by police. They are scheduled to be arraigned January 15, at the Springvale District Court.

Nathaniel Lang, 31, and Jill Botelho, 32, both of Berwick, and Ryan Breton, 31, of Lewiston, Maine were treated and released at the scene of the assault.

An unidentified 11-year-old male who was reportedly assaulted during the incident was also treated and released at the scene. The boy’s mother refused police having any involvement with her son.

Police have since learned the alleged “squatters” had been allowed to stay in the apartment by at least one of the tenants.